Copyholder



Sept. 10, 1940.

Filed April 29, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F g4. r 34 36 6 37 p:::' my

I as I I 1 i u ll 5 H GT: I F I I I 84' I I L I: I .:l

11W ENT UR PHILIP F 52/1555) Patented Sept. 10, 1940 PTENT OFFICE ooYnoLnER Philip P. Glassey, Manlius, N. Y., assignor of onethird toTheodore E. Simonton, Cazenovia,

Application April 2 91, 1939, Serial No. 270,894

14 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in copyholders of the movablemarker type.

The principal object of my invention is to pro-. vide a light,- sturdycopyholder of simple and economical construction which is adapted tosupport the copy behind a typewriter with an operating key locatedadjacent the space bar of the typewriter.

A iurtherobject of my invention is to provide a construction in whichthe majority of the parts may be formed of sheet metal by stamping orpressing.

Another object of my invention isto provide an operating means for themovable marker which is positive in action, WhiQh in infinitely variablewithin defined limits to change the markerspacing adjustmentcorrespondingly, and which includes a key having constant amplitude ofmovement regardless of change in the spacing setting of the marker sothat the operator may readily become accustomed to the touch of themechanism.

Still another object of my invention is to make the marker spacingadjustment means readily 25 accessible by locating it at the operatingkey.

A further object of my. invention is to provide a marker spacingadjusting means that may be adjusted with one hand.

Another object of my'invention is to provide a 30 copyholder, the easelof which may be readily folded down upon the base for storage andshipment.

Still another object or my invention is to provide spring return meansfor the marker opcrating mechanism that is so constructed and arrangedas to maintain substantially constant the finger pressure required foroperating the mechanismregardless of the marker spacing setting. I

Other objects and advantages of my copyholder will'become apparent fromthe following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my copyholder.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my copyholder in the operating position,parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of my copyholder folded in the storageposition.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the easel taken on the line 4 4, Figure 2,parts being broken away.

Figure 5 is a plan view, p rtly in section and parts being brokenaway,'taken on the line 5 5,

s gure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail of the clutch box and easel taken on line 6-6,Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a detail of the latch for holding the copyholder in thefolded position and is taken on line 1-7, Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the operating key showing a modifiedform of actuator spring.

Figure 9 is a section taken on line 99, Figu .8-

Figure 10 is a section taken on line Ill'l0, l0 Figure 8. My improvedcopyholder, as illustrated in the attached drawings, comprises generallya base 5, I an easel E; pivotally mounted thereon and providedwithsuitable supports for the notes or doc- 1 5 uments to betranscribed, a marker 1 movable along the surface of the easel forindicating the line from which the operator is copying, and mechanismfor moving the marker including a manually operable key 8. :20

Referring more particularly .to the drawings, the base 5, in thepreferred form, is an L-shaped sheet metal stamping comprising arms Illand H. The edges of base 5 are formed over to provide a C section forrigidity. Rubber feet 12 may be pressed into suitable apertures punchedin flanges of the 6 sections. Supports l3, rigidly mounted on arm It orformed integrally therewith, are each provided with a notched boss l4and a circular aperture 55.

The easel B may be a solid rectangle, or, as here shown in the preferredform, it may be cut away to form the legs ill. The easel 6 is formed ofsheet metal, stamped or pressed to shape with edges [8 beaded for thepurpose of obtaining rigidity, and may be provided with corrugations(notshown) to obtain additional stiffness. The supports l9, rigidlysecured to easel t or formed integrally therewith, are each providedwith a notched boss 29 and a circular central aperture 2|. A bearing rod22 headed at one end and threaded at the other to accommodate a knurlednut 23 is inserted in the apertures i5 and Zi to pivotally securetheeasel 6 to the base arm H]. When the knurled nut 23 is tightened, thenotched bosses M and 20 which have complementary faces are drawn intoengagement and are thus adapted to hold the easel 6 at a desired. angleto the base5. A permanent stop 25 com-, prising a substantiallytriangular piece of metal 5 is rigidly secured by suitable means to theback of each leg ii and limits the backward movement of the easel d, asappears particularly in Figures 2 and 5.

A substantially L-shaped combination spring 5 latch and stop 25 forholding the easel in its folded position is shown in operative positionin Figures 3 and '7 and may be formed by bending a piece of sheet metal.The upright portion 21 of latch 25 is provided with a triangularprotuberance 28 which is notched as at 29 and bent at right; angles tothe upright portion 21. The latch 251s rigidly fastened by suitablemeans, here shown as rivets 35, to arm II adjacent its forward end. Whenthe easel 6 is folded down on base 5, the edge I8 strikes the surface SIof I latch 25 and cams the latch outward until the notch 29 engages theedge I8 when further movement of the easel is arrested. To release theeasel 6, the latch 25 is pressed outward, thus freeing the edge I8 fromthe notch 25.

The easel I3 is provided with a clamping bar 32 for paper or the likepositioned adjacent the top thereof. The clamping bar 32 is mounted atits ends in supports 33 provided with apertures 35. The clamping bar 32is bent in the form of a wide shallow U, as clearly indicated in Figure4, and may be provided with rubber rollers 35. Coiled springs 35 areprovided for urging the clamping bar 32 into yielding contact with theeasel 5.

A substantially L-shaped bar 31 for supporting a notebook is pivotallymounted in apertures formed in supports 38 positioned adjacent theleft-hand side at the upper portion of easel 5, as shown in Figure 1.When not in use, the bar 37 may be removed from the supports andreinserted with the long shank of the L' passing through the supports,inorder to place it in a position where it will not obstruct the easel 6or protrude unduly at one side of the device when it is desired to usethe clamping bar 32. A portion of a notebook of the well known spiralwire bound type is shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, with the wirebinding slipped over the right-hand end of 'rod 31, but it will beobvious that any ordinary stenographers notebook could be folded overthe rod.

The mechanism for actuating the marker I will now be described andincludes a pair of brackets 42 mounted at the right-hand side of theeasel 5. A stationary guide rod 43 is secured to the brackets 42 bysuitable means here shown as cap nuts 44. An actuator rod 45 is slidablymounted in'the brackets 42 parallel to the guide rod 43. A connectinglink 41 is pivotally joined to the actuator rod 55 adjacent the lowerend of said rod 45 below the lower bracket 42. The other end of theconnecting link 41 is pivotally mounted at 48 in the bell crank lever49, which in turn is pivotally mounted in the support 5|) which issecured to the base 5. The radius rod 5I has one end pivotally connectedto the bell crank lever 49, as at 52. The opposite end of the radius rod5| is provided with an enlarged portion 53 provided with a transverseaperture 54.

A key lever 60 is pivotally mounted on a suitable support Gl which issecured adjacent the forward end of the base arm II. The key 3, whichmay be of any convenient shape and is here shown as an oblong bar, issecured to the key lever 60, which is here shown as substantiallytriangular in shape although it may be in the form of a bell cranklever. A slot 63 is provided in the key lever 66 and is located directlyabove the pivotal connection SI of the key lever 60 to the support 6|.In the preferred form, the slot 63 is made on an are having a radiusequal to the effective length of the radius rod 5|. A slide block 55adapted to slide'in'the slot 63 is provided with an externally threadedextension 66. A knurled nut 61 internally threaded to matchthe threadedportion 66 is provided with an extension 68. The extension 68 is adaptedto fit into the aperture 54 of the enlarged portion 53 of connecting rod5| to permit a pivotal connection. By tightening the knurled nut 51, theslide block may thus be secured at any point within the slot 63 whilepermitting rotational movement between the radius rod and the key lever.The stop 69 is secured to the base arm I I beneath the key lever 60 tolimit the downward movement of the key.

A spring III is provided to yieldingly maintain the key lever 60 and theassociated actuator rod 45 in their normal raised positions. In thepreferred form, the spring I0 comprises a plurality of coils II withprojecting ends I2 and I3 which are fastened respectively to the keylever 60 and the base arm I I, as best shown in Figure 2. The coiledpart II of the spring III may be supported on the pivotal connection 6 Iwhich projects outwardly from the support 5 I. I

A clutch box I5 is formed of a piece of channel shaped metal. Aperturesare provided in the flanges of the channel to correspond in size andspacing with the guide rod 43 and the actuator rod 45 so that the clutchbox may slide freely on these rods. A jam clutch I6 is formed with anarm I! having an aperture I8 adjacent the end thereof and a second armI9 which is bent at right angles to the arm II and provided with anaperture to receive the actuator rod 45 shown in Figures 4 and 6. Theclutch member I6 is pivotally secured to the clutch box by means of thestud 8I passing through the aperture I8. The

end of the arm I9 is extended outward beyond the side of the clutch boxI5 to provide a finger piece for manually releasing the jam clutch 15when desired. A similar jam clutch 82 is mounted on the same stud 8| toengage the guide rod 43. Springs 83 and 8 are provided to positivelyoperate the jam clutches I6 and 82, respectively, and a stop 85 isprovided to limit the upward movement of the jam clutches.

A stop 86 is secured to the easel 6 so as to project into the path ofthe finger piece of the clutch I6 as the clutch box reaches the bottomof its travel. The clutch I6 is thus released so that continuedactuation of the rod 45 will not damage the mechanism.

The marker I is pivotally mounted on the clutch box I5 by means of theL-shaped rod 81 which is let into suitable apertures 88 provided in theflanges of the clutch box I5. A retaining means 89, here shown as acotter pin, is provided E55 flanges in the clutch boX I5 andthrough'theaper- 565 ture 80 of the jam clutch 16.

When the key 8 is depressed, the key lever 50 pivots about its support6i compressing the spring I0, and pulls the radius rod 5| forward,

which in turn operates the bell crank 49 to draw 70 the connecting link4! and the actuator rod 65 downward. When the actuator rod 45 startsdownward, the j am clutch, I6 grips the' actuator rod, moving the clutchbox with it. The downward movement of the clutch box releases the jam 75*clutch 82from' the guide rod 43. When the key ".3 islreleased,thespring ylllreturns boththe key and the actuator rod 4.5-:upward totheir normal positions. J am. clutch .82 seizes on the guiderod l3,-thuspreventing the .clutch box from moving v back upward. Jam clutchl6isreleased with the .upward:movement of theactuator rod45 thusallowing the rod to .slide. upward freely.

' Spacing adjustment is obtained; by changing .the position ofthe.slide-block 65 in theslot 63.

'When,,the slide block 65 is at the bottom of the slot .93, the'movementtransferred from the key .8

to the radius rod isa minimum. As the slide b1ock, is. raised in. theslot -63, the amount of motion transmitted to the'radius rod 5| isincreased. toa maximum when the slide block 65 is at the .top of theslot .63. Infinitechangeibetween maximum andminimum limits in thespacing of "the marker 1 may be obtainedby changing. the

position of the slide block 65 in the slot 63 Without affecting themovement of. key 8, which remains constant.

To adjust for pa'particular spacing,the copy is first secured to theeasel 6 either by means of the clampbar .32or the notebook holder 37.The marker "l is then placed on a line of the, copy. This is most easilyaccomplished by lifting up on the projecting endsof the jam clutches l6and 82 with'the thumb and finger .of one'hand. When the clutches arethus released, the clutch box Iii-3 and the associatedmarker i may beslid upward or downwardto a desired position.

The knurled nut 67 is next released and the slide block 65 dropped tothe bottom of slot 63.

The key 8 is then depressed until the key lever 99 strikes the stop 69..This will move the marker l downward the minimumdistance. With the key,8 held in the depressed position, the slide block $5 is raised in the"slot 63 until the marker 1 is moved downward to the next line of thecopy. Then the knurled nut filis tightened and the spacing will beconstant until a re-adjustment is made. By this, system of adjustment,exact spacing corresponding to the spacing of the copy isobtained byadjusting to the copy itself.

It may be noted here that the marker 1 is pivs oted to the clutch box l5which is carried adjacent one edge of the easel 6, and the notebookholder 31 is pivoted adjacent the opposite edge of the easel. ing thenotebook outward to turn a page and at the same time the marker 1 isswung out of the way on its pivot. When the notebook is swung backagainst the easel, the marker will swing back into its operatingposition at a mere touch on the part of the operator.

It is to be noted that with the arrangement of spring 79 shown in Figure2, the force. needed to compress the spring when the key is depressed isconstant regardless of the setting of the slide block 65 to vary thespacing, since the amplitude of key motion is constant. A slight changein operating force is required, however, with changes in setting of theslide block 65, due to the weight of the actuator rod 45 operating onthe key through the connecting mechanism.

Although the change thus required in operating pressure in theconstruction above described is not considered of great moment, amodified form of key lever spring and spacing adjusting mechanism isshown in the Figures 8, 9 and 10, which is adapted to automaticallychange the spring pressure with change in spacing to maintain theoperating force substantially constant.

This construction permits swing-" leaf spring anchored at its lower end96 in an adjustable mount 91. The spring 95 extends verticallysubstantially the height of the adjusting slot .63.

The mount 9.! is here shown as a short shaft provided at one end with aslot 98 toreceive the end 96 of spring 95. A reduced portion 99 .of theshaft 91 has its free end threaded to accommodate a knurled nut I99. Asuitable aperture HH is provided in the support (ii to accommodate theportion 99 of shaft 91. The slide block 65 is provided with a slottedextension or fork J02 adapted to engage with the spring 95.

In assembling, the spring 95 is secured in the slot99 of the mount 91.The reduced portion 99 of the mount 91 is then inserted in the aperture[9| and the spring 95 inserted in the fork I92 of slide block 65. Theknurled nut I99 is then threaded on the shaft. Initial tension of thespring 95 is adjusted by rotating the mount 9'! and is then secured bytightening the nut Mill.

' A notched boss I93 may be provided on support iii to cooperate withnotches on mount 9] for parting from the spirit of my invention, and Iwish to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy and amovable marker, in combination, a key including a finger piece pivotallymounted on said base located a substantial distance from said easel,means for moving said marker a predetermined amount, means including aradius rod for transmitting movement of said key to said marker, andmeans positioned adjacent the fingerpiece of said key for varying theamount of movement transmitted by said connecting rod'while the amountof movement of said key is maintained substantially constant.

2. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy and amovable marker, in combination, said base including a forwardlyextending arm positioned adjacent one side thereof, an operating keyincluding a finger piece pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end ofsaid arm, means carried by said easel adapted to progress said markerstep by step downwardly of said easel, means including a connecting rodfor transmitting motion from said key to said means for progressing saidmarker, and means positioned adjacent the finger piece of said key forvarying the amount of movement transmitted by said connecting rod whilethe amount of movement of said key is maintained substantially constant.

3. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy and amovable marker, in combination, an operating key having a constantlength of stroke, means for transmitting motion from said key to saidmarker and adjusting means associated with said means for transmittingmotion so constructed and arranged as to vary the amount of motiontransmitted from said key while maintaining said key stroke constant.

4. A device as described in. claim 3' wherein said adjusting meansincludes a slotted lever and a connecting rod and wherein said slot isarcuate in shape, the radius of said are being the length of saidconnecting rod.

5. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy and amovable marker, in combination, means for'progressing said marker insubstantially equal steps, means for adjusting the amplitude of saidsteps including a bell crank lever pivoted intermediate the bell crankarms to said base, said lever having a constant amplitude of motion, aslide member mounted on one of said bell crank lever arms, releasablemeans for securing said slide member to said arm at substantially anypoint along its length from adjacent the pivot point to the free end ofsaid arm, and a connecting link for transmitting motion from said slidemember to said means for propressing said marker.

6. A device as described in claim 5 wherein.

said bell crank arm is slotted to secure and guide said slide member.

'7. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy anda movable marker, in combination, means for progressing said marker insubstantially equal steps, said means including a key havingsubstantially constant amplitude of motion, and means for obtaininginfinite variation between maximum and minimum limits of the amplitudeof said steps.

8. In a copyholder having an easel, longitudinal ways positioned on theeasel adjacent one edge thereof, and a traveller adapted to slide onsaid ways, in combination, a marker pivotally mounted adjacent one endon said traveller to permit the free end of said marker to swingoutwardly and at right angles to said easel, and a notebook supportcomprising a rod pivoted at one end, said pivot being supported on saideasel adjacent the top thereof and adjacent the edge opposite saidlongitudinal ways.

9. A device as described in claim 8 wherein said notebook support isdemountable.

10. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy, amovable marker and operating'means' for spacing said marker step by steplongitudinally. of said easel, in combination, a key forsaid operatingmeans pivotally mounted in 'said base, adjusting means adapted to varythe amount of 'motiontransmitted from said key to said marker, a springadapted to yieldingly main- 'tain said key in its normal position, andmeans associated with said motion adjusting means for automaticallyvarying the spring pressure of said spring as said motion adjustingmeans is varied.

the initial tension of said spring.

13. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy, amovable marker and'operating means for spacing said marker step by steplongitudinally of said easel, in combination, a key for said operatingmeans pivotally mounted on said base, adjusting means adapted to varythe amount of motion transmitted from saidkey to said marker, saidadjusting means including a lever pivotally mounted adjacent one endthereof, a slide member mounted on said lever, means for releasablysecuring said slide member to said lever along its length from adjacentsaid pivot point to its free end, a leaf spring anchored at one endpositioned adjacent said lever and 'parallel thereto, and means forvarying the pressure of said leaf spring carried by said slide memberand including a fork adapted to operatively engage with said spring.

14. In a copyholder having a base, an easel for supporting the copy, amovable marker and operating means for spacing said marker step by steplongitudinally of said easel, in combination, a key for said operatingmeans pivotally mounted on said base, adjusting means adapted to varythe amount of motion transmitted from said key to said marker, saidadjusting means including a lever pivotally mounted adjacent one endthereof, a slide member mounted on said lever, and means for releasablysecuring said slide member to said lever along its length from saidpivot point to its free end.

PHILIP P. GLASSEY.

